Call it grassroots detective work with a side of courage. One former New Jersey man, whose dad developed prostate cancer, didn’t wait around for bureaucrats to figure out what has been going on in his hometown community. Instead, he pulled up a Google map, started mapping cancer cases in the area, and uncovered something that’s hard to ignore.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Rusty Morris, 46, had been hearing of one person after another battling cancer in the area of Keyport, New Jersey, where he grew up – so he began tracking folks diagnosed with cancer. The result? A chilling cluster – 28 cases just on one street alone and a total of 41 cases mapped across the Keyport area.

Experts looked at his DIY map and basically said: yeah… that’s not normal. One public health professor described the concentration as “insane” and in need of investigation while others also say it deserves serious investigation.

So what’s lurking nearby? The land at the center of the concern isn’t some untouched patch of grass – it’s a former Aeromarine site that dates back decades and according to the report, “has leached toxic waste and harmful chemicals into the air and water for at least 50 years.”

Then, as if that isn’t bad enough, the site transitioned into a landfill – piling more waste on top of an already contaminated footprint. Instead of addressing what was in the ground, it essentially became a bigger holding zone for trash and potential toxins.

The property is owned by Bay Ridge Realty – and according to lawsuits and public officials, that’s exactly where the frustration is aimed. The borough of Keyport has taken the company to court, alleging the site was never properly closed or capped and continues to leak waste and toxic chemicals into surrounding areas.

Despite decades of known contamination – and even fines and legal pressure – critics say little meaningful cleanup has happened. The site has remained largely untouched while critics say pollutants continue to spread, leaving residents stuck waiting while the legal battles drag on and the environmental damage keeps ticking.